Fastening device for mops, brushes, and the like



Oct. 22, 1940. J. w. BRINTNALL 4 2,218,521

FASTENING DEVICE FOR MOPS, BRUSHES, AND THE .Filed May 2. 1939 INVENTOR./0/7/? W Eff/72970 ZZM ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 22, .1940

FASTENING DEVICE FOR MOPS, BRUSHES,

AND THE LIKE i.- w. Brintnall, Alameda, cant. Application May 2,1939,Serial No. 271,353

' .5 C laims. (o1. ace-1) The invention relates to fasteningdevices suchas commonly used for securing mops and similar articlestotheend of astick handle. v

An object of the present invention is to provide a fasteningdevice ofthe character described by flmeans of which .a large variety of types ofcleaning means such as mops, brushes, chamois skins, sponges, cleaningcloths andthe like may beeasily and quickly attached to a stickhandle,whereby a single handle ora set of different size and length of handlesmay be used with a plurali ty of such cleaning means.

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a fastening device of thecharacter described which will attach any of the above mentionedcleaning means to a stick handle in such a manner that the handle andattaching device will be substantially completely covered and removedfrom contact with the surface to be cleaned, and the cleaning means mostefiectively disposed with respect to the handle for convenient use.

A further object of the invention is to pro- .vide a gripping device ofthe above character which may be constructed of a minimum number haveasubstantiallyunlimited long life of usefulness andthe operationthereofwillbe substantially positive and fool-proof.

The invention possesses other objects and feagoing, will be setforth inthe followingdescrip tion of the preferred form of the invention whichis illustrated in the drawinglaccompanying and forming part of thespecification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in theshowing made by the said drawing and description as set'forth in theclaims.

Referring to said drawing:

, 4 Figure 1 is ai sideelevation partly insection of a fastening. deviceconstructed in accordance Figure 6 is a front elevation of the fasteningdevice shown operativelyassociated with a stick handle and amop.

Figure 7 is a side elevation partly in sectionof of sturdilyformed partswhereby the device will i turesof advantage, some of which, with theforethe device shown operativelyassociated withia handle and a sponge.

' Figure 8is alfront elevation of a modifiedform of holding means forthe device.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the hold- 5- ingmeans illustratedin Figure 8 and is taken substantially on the plane of line v9-9 ofFigure The fastening device of the present invention isadapted for usewith a, customary typestick 1o handle for. associating with the handleand for attaching thereto various 'typesof cleaning implements, such asmops, brushes, cloths and the like, and is so arranged that thefastening device may be readily adjusted on the handle for se- 15 curingthe cleaning implement in place. To this end I provide asupportingmember which may be clamped to'the handle at adjusted longitudinalpositions thereon and a holding means which'is carried by the member andwhich cooperates with 120 theendi of the handle for clamping thecleaning implement in place. The latter means is so constructed toreceive an ordinary mop, brush,

chamois skin, sponge, dust clothjor the like. i

In the preferred form of the. invention illus- 25 tratedin Figures 1 to7, the supporting member ll consists of apair of longitudinally spacedring members l2 and I3 which are provided with central openings I4 andI6 for accommodating and receiving a customary wooden stick no handle11. The members I2 and I3 are held in longitudinally fixed position bymeans of a pair of longitudinalsupporting members I8 and [9, here shownofwire, which are welded or other- "wise secured to the members l2 and13. Also F carriedlbetween the members I2 and I3 is a lonmay be adoptedwithin the scope of the invention gitudinalguide '2|, preferably ofnon-circular crosssection such as the rectangular bar here shown, andwhich is secured as ,by welding or the likeyatzits opposite ends to theend plates l2 and I3. The guide 2| is inclined longitudinally to thelongitudinal axis of the handle ll and the longitudinal aligned axis ofthe openings l4' and I6, and carriedon the guide is a sliding member 22.which is formed with a pair A5 of jaw faces 23 and which engagelongitudinal sides of the handle between the members and upon sliding ofthe member 22, force the handle against the opposite sides 25 and 2B ofthe openings. The slide member 22 is prefer- A ably of sheet metal whichis stamped'and formed to provide a bearing 21 slidably engaged on theguide and an outwardly extending handle portion 28 to facilitate thelongitudinal movement of, the slide memberalong the guide. By real5? sonof the taper of the guide, the device may be used with various diameterhandles and also with handles of various cross-sectional shape. Tofurther hold the supporting member against longitudinal movement on thehandle, the opening sides 25 and 26 are preferably formed with sharpedges adapted to cut into the handle and as here shown, such sides areprovided with a plurality of teeth 29 and iii which upon forcing of thehandle thereagainst, pierce or bite into the engaged surface of thehandle.

The means for fastening the cleaning implement to the handle hereincludes a wire loop member 32 which extends longitudinally from thesupporting member H and is so related to an adjacent end 33 of thehandle as to cooperate with such end for holding the cleaning implementin place. The member 32. may, as

here shown, be formed of a single length of wire and may be integrallyassociated With the longitudinal supporting members l8 and Such is thepresent construction, wherein a single length of wire is used and whichis folded from an intermediate portion 34 of its length into a pair ofspaced parallel legs or sides 36 and 31 and which'sides extend throughopenings in the end member I2 and terminate at the member [3. A portion38 of each of such sides extends generally longitudinally from themember l2 and terminates in its outer end 39 in a laterally inclinedportion M. The portion 46 terminates inthe portion 35 aforementioned andwhich extends at right angles to a common plane in which the portions38, 4!, 43 and 46 are contained. Each of the sides 36 and 31 of the loopmember is provided with the aforementioned portions and the severalportions on one side are substantially identical to and para'llel withthe respective portions on the other.

As will be. seen in Figure 2, the sides 36 and 3'! of the holder'arespaced apart by a distance somewhat greater than the diameter or widthof the handle. Similarly, the transverse dimension of the holder betweenthe end point '42 and the cross-piece 34 (see Figure l) is greater thanthe diameter or thickness of the handle. In this manner the holder formswhat may be conveniently referred to as a transverse or horizontal loopwhich encircles a majority of the circumference of the handle end andaccordingly the I handle end may extend completely through such loopwithout engagement with any of the portions of the loop aboveenumerated. This feature is of considerable importance in accommodatingthe holder to various types of cleaning devices. Particularly is thisthe case when a flexible cleaning device such as a mop or cloth orsponge or the like is used. For example, with reference to Figure 6,wherein a mop 41! is shown in conjunction with the holder, anintermediate portion 48 of the mop is mounted across the loop so thatthe mop strands are engaged under the sides 53 of the loop and then theend 33 of the handle is pressed firmly against such intermediateportion, so as to confine the mop strands between the handle end and theloop sides it. With a normal size mop the handleend may be extendedbeyond the plane of the loopsides 33, such as illustrated in Figure 6,so as to completely submerge the holding loop and the handle end in themop. In this manner the loop portions and the handle end are bothcompletely removed from direct contact with the surface to be cleaned.In the case of a'sponge, such as illustrated in Figure 7 where acylindrical type sponge 49 is disclosed, a part of the sponge body isdrawn into the loop between the sides 36 and 31 so that in extending thehandle end against the sponge, the latter will be clamped between thehandle end and the cross-piece 34 of the loop and all of the loop sideportions completely embedded in the sponge. It will be noted in thisconnection that the face of the sponge is inclined at an angle to theaxis of the handle so that the sponge is most effectively positioned forconvenient use. Another use for the device is in the holding of a brush5|, such as illustrated in Figure 5. The brush here illustrated is ofstandard form, including a brush back or support 52 and bristles '53 andin attaching the brush, the latter is inserted into the loop so that thebrush back is confined between the sides M, 43 and 46 of the loop, whichdefine a substantially rectilinear socket for receipt of the brush back.The side 46 and the cross-side 3d are embedded Within the bristles sothat no part of the holder is exposed. The brush is securely held in theaforementioned position by the engagement of the handle end 33 andagainst the-back 54 of the brush. While a mop and sponge and brush havebeen illustrated, it will be readily understood that various other typesof cleaning implements such as chamois skins, dust cloths and the likemay be attached in like manner.

To facilitate the attachment of the aforementioned cleaning means, theguide 25 preferably tapers inwardly towards the axis of the handle inthe direction of the end iii of the supporting member, that is away fromthe holder 32. This is desirable for in drawing the slide 22 towardssuch end, the supporting member will be urged in a direction increasingthe clamping pressure of the handle end and holding loop.

A modified form of supporting member l i has been illustrated in Figures8 and 9. As there shown the supporting member is composed of a pair ofhalf-sections 56 and 57 which are provided with circular longitudinalrecesses 58 and 59 adapted to engage and embrace opposite longitudinalsides of the handle il.- The sections 56 and 51 are identical in formand each provided with side wing portions 6! and 62, through which areengaged screws'iit and 65 adjusted by wing nuts 66 and El for clampingthe half-sections in place on the handle. The sections are furtherprovided with longitudinal recesses 68 in which are carried thelongitudinal sides'ilfi and of the wire loop holding member. Such wiresides may be spot-welded or otherwise conveniently fastened'in therecesses 63. The construc- 5' tion of the loop holder in this form ofthe invention is the same as the loop holder described in connectionwith the preferred form of the invention and is therefore, omitted inthe showing of the modified form and in the description of. suchmodified form. In using this modified type of holder, it will beunderstood that the wing nuts I the present invention is operable toquickly and easily attach various types of cleaning means as abovedescribed to a stick handle, and whereby a single handle or a set ofdifferent size, shape or length of handles may be used with a pluralityof such cleaning means. It will further be understood that while .I havedescribed thepresent JTH holding device in conjunction with varioustypes of cleaning means, the device may be used for fastening or holdingin place on or in assembly with a handle of the character hereindescribed;

a large variety of articles other than above referred to. i

I claim:

1. Thecomb-ination with a stick handle, means for fastening to thehandle a mop or brush or the like comprising a member adapted forclamping on said handle adjacent one end thereof, a wire memberproviding a pair of sides each secured at oneend to said member and eachformed with a longitudinal part, a contiguous laterally inclined part, apart contiguous and at 2. In a device of ithe character described, a

stick handle, means cooperating with the end of said handle to secure amop or broom or the like thereto, and means for securing said firstmeans to the handle in adjusted longitudinal position, comprising, apair of longitudinally spaced ring members surrounding said handle,means holding said rings longitudinally spaced, a longitudinal guideextending between said rings and inclined to the axis of said handle,and means slidably carried by said guide and engaging a side of saidhandle for urging the latter against one side of said rings, one of saidring sides being formed with a sharpened edge for handle,

3. In combination with a stick handle a member adapted to engageopposite longitudinal sides of said handle, a longitudinal guide carriedby said member inclined to the longitudinal axis of said handle, slidemeans carried by said guide and engaging a side of said handle forurging the latter against the opposite side of said member, and teethonsaid last named member side for piercing and holding the engaged sideof said handle.

4; A device for attaching Various cleaning means to a stick handle,comprising, a supporting member composed of a plurality of sectionsadapted to engage opposite sides of said handle adjacent an end thereof,a clamping screw for fixing said sections on said handle, and a wiremember including a pair of longitudinal sides secured to said sectionsand terminating in a transversely extending loop portion surrounding apart of the end of the handle and cooperating therewith for securingsaid cleaning means therebetween.

5. A cleaning means holding device for a stick handle comprising, aclamp member including a pair of sections having opposed recesses forfitting about opposite sides of said handle and opposed lateralextending portions, screws carried 1 by said portions at opposite sidesof said handle for clamping said sections to the handle, said sectionseach having a longitudinal recess, wire member having a pair ofsubstantially parallel longitudinal sides engaged in said longitudinalrecesses and extending longitudinally from said sections, the outer endsof said sides terminating in a connecting portion encircling a part ofthe periphery of said handle and cooperating with an end of said handlefor clamping a cleaning means therebetween.

JOHN W. BRINTNALL.

